A combined production technology for ethylene and hydrogen with an ethane cracking center and dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor

Abstract

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technology for non-oxidative CH4 conversion is considered a promising alternative to fossil fuel-based thermochemical counterparts for ethylene production. Herein, we propose a combined production technology for ethylene and hydrogen using shale gas, which consists of an ethane cracking center (ECC) and a DBD plasma reactor. Our plasma-assisted catalytic CH4 conversion reaction facilitates the control of product selectivity by adjusting the particle size and enhances ethylene production compared to conventional ECCs. To demonstrate the economic feasibility of the proposed process, we evaluated 9 and 16 catalysts for direct and indirect ethylene production, respectively. The energy demand of the DBD plasma reactor was estimated using an equivalent electrical circuit model. Most importantly, the levelized costs of ethylene production are assessed by technoeconomic analysis associated with individual system components, based on the two different ethylene production strategies. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis showed a potential linkage with the electricity produced from a renewable energy system. The results of this analysis support the feasibility of the DBD plasma-assisted catalytic reaction process integrated with ECC for energy-efficient CH4-conversion into high-value products.